The Tribune

“THERE, but for the grace of God, go I!”

Let us never forget this saying as the negative head-wagging continues at Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ agreement to accommodate Dominican students whose schools have been destroyed and their education disrupted by the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

Dominica was the first in the Caribbean island chain to get the full strength of Maria, one of the most powerful category 5 hurricanes on record. Maria also continued in a direct path over Puerto Rico, leaving its people pleading with the United States to rush in supplies for their survival.

In Nassau, Bahamians prayed and held their collective breath as Maria moved in our direction leaving some of our more southerly islands badly damaged. It was just by a hair’s breadth that Maria swung away from Nassau. Although we missed the bullet this time no one should forget that the hurricane season is not yet over.

One would have thought – if only as a thank-offering for having been spared – Bahamians would have gladly made the effort, no matter how difficult, to extend a helping hand to a sister island that has been left with hardly a building standing.

According to reports, the full force of Hurricane Maria has left Dominica “in a daze” having cut it off from its Caribbean neighbours, having “destroyed properties, silenced communication and cut power and running water.” Even Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and his family had to be rescued from their flooded home after their roof was torn off.

Mr Skerrit visited Nassau to try to get help for his displaced students. Our government has agreed in principle and now awaits word from Dominica as to how many students are involved, their level of education and the length of time they might have to be here.

Already, The Bahamas has an accommodation problem in its schools and is now hard pressed to urgently correct the ill-conceived decision of the PLP government to keep children — mainly Haitians — out of school because of their parents’ immigration problems. Despite this, an extra effort has to be made. So, even though Mr Skirrit’s request might be difficult to fulfil at this time, it would be far easier to make the effort than to be in his position and have to go cap in hand to beg others to rescue us from what might be similar devastation. Nor must we forget the proud boast of Bahamians about their Christianity — or are they just Sunday Christians? If they are truly what they claim to be, then they will have to walk that extra mile to co-operate with this effort to help our Dominican neighbours.

This present generation of Bahamians would not remember the war years when a British prep school moved to The Bahamas with its headmaster and students to escape the bombing of London.

Belmont School, with its headmaster, Mr Jeffries, arrived in Nassau in 1940. Belmont was a boys prep school in Sussex. When it was decided to send the boys here, it was agreed that families should not be separated and so their sisters came with them as students. Mr Jeffries’ sister assisted him and teachers in Nassau offered their services. One of the teachers was the mother of Sir Jimmy Goldsmith. Major Frank Goldsmith, his wife, and two sons, Teddy and Jimmy, also settled in the Bahamas to escape the war. They were the years when the Duke and Duchess of Windsor occupied Government House.

Sir Harry Oakes, who owned the four-storied, verandah-encircled Clerihew House, located on the waterfront just east of the old Kelly’s Lumber Yard on Bay Street, made the building available to the school, and for at least four years that was where Britain’s Belmont School was located. Among the Bahamian students who also attended were Richard Coulson, the late Norman Solomon, Peter Christie, David Donald, the late Niki Williamson and others.

No one as yet knows what Dominica might need for the accommodation of its students. But perhaps there is a vacant building somewhere in New Providence, where Dominican students and teachers can be transferred until Dominica can rebuild its own schools.

But whatever the needs, this is one occasion when The Bahamas has no choice but to extend a helping hand.